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Domestic abuse protection laws must be followed. Appellate decisions must be honored. When a child reports abuse, his voice and safety must matter.Join us at Julie Valadez’s trial to call for transparency, accountability, and compliance with Wisconsin’s domestic abuse protections.
In December 2021, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reversed the custody and placement decision in Valadez v. Valadez. Its published opinion addressed the findings of domestic abuse and required that Julie’s safety and the children’s safety be a paramount concern.
The proceedings that followed failed to comply with that decision and the protections Wisconsin law requires.
At age 15, Ethan reported abuse by his father and refused to live with him. There are public police recordings documenting his father asking police to remove Ethan from his home.
Ethan later ran away from his father and went to his mother.
Julie now faces prosecution for allegedly concealing Ethan from his father. This is concerning to the public when people have watched the prosecutor, James Sempf, repeatedly lie to the court in this case. It is especially concerning when Delavan police body cam and reports establish his father reported to police that Ethan had gone to his mother. The records additionally show that Julie and Ethan had repeatedly reported to authorities and were working with professionals. This raises serious questions about the basis for this prosecution and the government’s lack of response to Ethan’s reports of abuse from his father.
Despite Ethan being in person at the hearings and telling the court that his father is abusive, was not obeying orders and was drinking, and that he ran away from him- no one has listened to his voice and there is no lawful state response to date.
The public deserves to understand what happened, what officials knew, and hold accountable that the laws intended to protect this mother and son as victims of domestic abuse were not followed.
We are asking community members, domestic abuse advocates, journalists, and public officials to attend, observe the proceedings, and stand for accountability. Public attendance demonstrates that the victims of domestic abuse—and the government’s conduct—matter to our community.
📅 December 7–15
📍 Walworth County Judicial Center
1800 County Road NN
Elkhorn, WI 53121
Case: 2023CF48
8:00 am to 4:30 PM
Please check this event for updates to the court schedule. Attend respectfully and follow courtroom rules.
Protection. Accountability. Safety. Justice.
People show up. Change happens. This is our community.
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Event venue
Walworth County Judicial Ctr, 1800 County Road NN, Elkhorn, WI 53121-4454, United States
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